DJ Von Kiss is taking you on a musical journey as she answers 20 questions we’ve been dying to ask her. From what inspires her music and travels, to her favorite songs, to her dreams of winning an Oscar for Best Original Score, she’s telling us the real deal…
Q – WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A DJ?
A – My love of dancing in nightclubs inspired me to become a DJ. I love music and I love to dance, so to be able to provide that experience for others makes me incredibly happy.
Q – HOW DO YOU GET IN THE ZONE BEFORE YOU PERFORM?
A – I listen to the newest songs that I’ve added to my DJ playlists and try to figure out which order I want to play them. I never pre-plan a set from start to finish… I like to feed off the energy of the crowd and am very flexible in my sets.
Q – DO YOU HAVE ANY QUIRKY GOOD LUCK RITUALS BEFORE A BIG SHOW?
A – I like to have a drink to warm up. Lately my drink of choice is a nice whiskey, neat.
Q – DO YOU HAVE ANY TRAVEL RITUALS?
A – Double check my flight itinerary.
Q – DO YOU THINK MUSIC MAKES TRAVEL BETTER? WHY?
A – Music makes everything better! For example…with the right soundtrack I feel like I would have no problem driving clear across the country, it helps distract you from the amount of time you are spending trapped in a vehicle. Having music that you can listen to while on a plane can also help drown out the sound of any crying babies or a snoring neighbor.
Another cool thing is to pick a few staple songs for your travel, they can be classics or what is popular at the time… that way whenever you hear those songs in the future they will always remind you of that particular travel time.
Here’s a playlist I curated for my Europe travels:
Q – HAVE YOU EVER TRAVELED SOMEWHERE WITH SUCH AN AWESOME MUSIC SCENE YOU WERE TEMPTED TO PACK UP AND MOVE?
A – IBIZA!
Q – WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION SO FAR?
A – Mexico. I’ve traveled all over Mexico and I’ve had AMAZING times in every city/state. My dad is from Mexico so I also have a lot of nostalgic memories associated with Mexico, but I must say that all my party nights in Tijuana, Rosarito and Cancun really have created the most wonderful memories for me. And let’s not forget the DELICIOUS Food, Hospitality and how cheap it is!
Q – TELL US ABOUT YOUR MOST SURPRISING TRAVEL EXPERIENCE WHERE THE REALITY WAS NOTHING LIKE YOU IMAGINED
A – Prague. I really knew nothing about Prague prior to visiting… however, I can now say that it is one of the most gorgeous cities I’ve ever visited! Packed full of history and incredible architecture from as early as 9 A.D.!!
Q – WHERE’S A PLACE THAT THE MUSIC SCENE WAS NOTHING LIKE YOU IMAGED?
A – Tokyo. I knew that it was going to be a super cool city full of dope fashion and kawaii things, but when I DJ’d at the Summer Sonic Music Festival for Rye Rye, I was amazed at the energy and response of the crowd to just about EVERY style of music, from Avril Lavigne to MSTRKRFT.
Q – WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO ARTIST OR GENRE WHILE TRAVELING?
A – When DJing abroad or within the US… Hip Hop is ALWAYS solid. From Korea to Paris, Mexico to Malaysia… people love Hip Hop! Jay-Z, Drake, Kanye, Lil Jon, Nicki Minaj… But if you mean what do I personally listen to while traveling, then I would say a mix of Jackin House and 90’s/00’s Hip Hop and RnB.
Q – YOU’VE DJ’D ALL OVER THE WORLD – WHERE WAS YOUR FAVORITE SHOW AND WHY?
A – Honestly, my favorite show to date was at Yost Theater in Santa Ana. I was opening up for Mija, the venue was sold out… over 800 people. It was an 18 and up crowd so they tend to go a bit harder with their energy. Anyway, their energy was thru the roof! Their reactions to my drops and song selection were a DJ’s dream. It was perfect.
Q – WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST MUSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENT SO FAR?
A – Getting booked to DJ in Ibiza last year was a dream come true. I literally cried tears of joy when I got the confirmation… and I am going back to play next month!
Q – WHAT’S STILL LEFT ON YOUR MUSIC BUCKET LIST?
A – Winning an Oscar for Best Original Score.
Q – HAVE YOU MET ANYONE ON YOUR TRAVELS THAT RESULTED IN A MUSIC COLLABORATION LATER?
A – Not yet!
Q – WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FOREIGN MUSIC STYLE?
A – Ahhh I love Cumbias!
Q – HAVE YOU EVER MADE A SPECIFIC MUSIC PLAYLIST FOR A TRIP YOU WERE TAKING? WILL YOU SHARE IT WITH US PLEASE?
A – I remember making CD’s for road trips to Vegas. That was back in the Benny Benassi days, so they were pretty full of High Energy Electro.
Q – ARE THERE ANY SONGS THAT EVOKE SPECIFIC TRAVEL MEMORIES?
A – Oh yes… Star 69 by Fatboy Slim reminds me of my first trip to Miami, Loca People by Sak Noel reminds me of Barcelona, La Mezcla by Michel Cleis reminds me of New York and Geht’s Noch? by Roman Flügel reminds me of Vegas.
Q – WHAT INSTRUMENTS DO YOU PLAY AND WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?
A – Turntables! And I experiment with melodies on my Micro Korg Keyboard. When I was in Elementary School I played the Flute for a short time and in middle school I tried the Clarinet.
Q – YOU TRAVELED INTERNATIONALLY QUITE A BIT. CAN YOU SHARE ONE OF YOUR TRIED-AND-TRUE TRAVEL TIPS?
A – Make absolutely sure you have a valid Passport (some places will not let you travel if your passport is expiring soon). Also check and see if a visa is required to enter the countries you are traveling to.
Q – WHAT’S THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM YOU CAN’T TRAVEL WITHOUT?
A – My wife. <3